Once Again – and with CLARITY…

I have been told I didn’t come right out and say it so here goes.

I am having surgery on June 2nd, 2009 at 8AM to c-section and remove my potentially 10, large uterine fibroids via a procedure called a “myomectomy” (http://www.myomectomy.net – warning – NOT for the squeamish). It is a procedure that lasts anywhere from 4 – 5 hours and the recovery period for it is about 6 weeks. I will be in the hospital for 3 days from the 2nd under observation and then I will be discharged to my home where I will be on bed rest, essentially, for the remainder of the 6 weeks. I will not be able to lift anything, bend, climb or descend stairs, stretch, reach, exercise, dance or anything strenuous until after the incisions through my abdomen and my uterine wall have healed. As per a previous post, my abdomen / stomach area is extended to that of a woman who is 5 months pregnant, so despite the bikini incision, I’m very excited to know what my body will look like when this is all said and done.

My doctor is Dr. George Kofinas of the Kofinas Fertility Institute out of New York Methodist Hospital in Park Slope Brooklyn (http://www.kofinasfertility.com). Without ever being operated on by him before, I feel that he’s a great, confident doctor. He’s been in the business of repairing wombs and getting women pregnant for a very long time. He’s been in the New York Magazine’s list of Best Doctors for 6 years and counting. If you make an appointment to see him for 3 o’clock, you will be waiting to see him till 5… but it will be worth the wait and his waiting room is filled with anxious new patients, old patients who are back for round 2 with the fruits of round 1 running around the waiting room and it gives you hope. He’s an older Greek man with wonderful bedside manner who makes you feel like you might be his niece that he’s working on, speaking gently and with assurance. He has told me confidently that he will reconstruct my uterus: “It’ll be like brand new – I’m going to perform some plastic surgery on it!” and for my malfunctioning cyst / endometrium covered ovary he will “repair it and restore at least 70% functionality to it”. I am glad that I got the reference to see him and that I actually followed through. (THANK YOU, ALEX  )

I am on medical leave from my job starting Monday, June 1st. So I will be working from home once I’m off the drugs that might have me woozy or hallucinating. Although I truly don’t want to be on those long at all if I can help it.

I am petrified because this is my first major surgery. I am hopeful because of all the amazing things that this will open the door for. I am excited because I have imagined and dreamed my days without discomfort, bloating, inability to evacuate, fibroids poking back up at me if I lay on my stomach to sleep (which used to be my favorite position). I am humbled at the thought of having a normal uterus again… and maybe… just maybe… being able to carry to full term… a healthy, happy, little bundle of joy OF MY OWN to celebrate and dote incessantly upon so I can stop feeling like the Wicked Witch of the West about everyone else’s joy.

There’s so much hope in my heart.

Prayer is all I need now.

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